Party Perfect reader Beth Kaleida of New York, NY sent us this cute idea for DIY gift wrap. Beth writes, "I bought two gifts for a good friend's son's 1st birthday...a cube-shaped box of blocks and a small hardback book that was also a cube shape. When I got home I only had plain white or plain blue wrapping paper. I had a moment of inspiration and decided to wrap the presents in white paper, and then color and draw on them to look like blocks. I made a white paper 'sleeve' to go on top of the normal wrapping, to hide the other paper folds and tape. Then I colored the permanent marker around the edges and drew the 'W' (for Will) and the '1' for his age. My husband thought I was crazy for going to all this effort for a child that was not mine, but it was a fun, creative release for me!" Note from Sara: For those of you who don't feel comfortable making letters freehand or want a more polished look, you could buy alphabet and number stickers from an office supply store instead. For those a wee bit craftier, you could print out your favorite font and use an exacto-knife to cut out the letter or number, then apply with spray-on adhesive. Thanks for sharing, Beth!
sara hicks malone
Hi. I'm Sara Hicks Malone, a former art director for Martha Stewart Baby & Kids magazines, stationery owner (Hicks Paper Goods) and blogger (Sara's Party Perfect). These days the majority of my design work is for Minted (minted.com), though I occasionally work with companies and individuals for custom projects.
Party Perfect reader Beth Kaleida of New York, NY sent us this cute idea for DIY gift wrap. Beth writes, "I bought two gifts for a good friend's son's 1st birthday...a cube-shaped box of blocks and a small hardback book that was also a cube shape. When I got home I only had plain white or plain blue wrapping paper. I had a moment of inspiration and decided to wrap the presents in white paper, and then color and draw on them to look like blocks. I made a white paper 'sleeve' to go on top of the normal wrapping, to hide the other paper folds and tape. Then I colored the permanent marker around the edges and drew the 'W' (for Will) and the '1' for his age. My husband thought I was crazy for going to all this effort for a child that was not mine, but it was a fun, creative release for me!" Note from Sara: For those of you who don't feel comfortable making letters freehand or want a more polished look, you could buy alphabet and number stickers from an office supply store instead. For those a wee bit craftier, you could print out your favorite font and use an exacto-knife to cut out the letter or number, then apply with spray-on adhesive. Thanks for sharing, Beth!
